Ferrari's preparations for the race in Belgium this weekend is being overshadowed however by the continuing war of words over its use of team orders to decide the finishing order of its cars at last month's German Grand Prix. That decision, which attracted a $100,000 fine from the race stewards at the time, has been referred to the FIA, and a hearing will take place next month to decide if Ferrari should face further sanction and possibly be stripped of its points for its ham-fisted manipulation of the race result: Felipe Massa responding to a barely-coded radio message and moving over to allow team mate Fernando Alonso into the lead and for the Spaniard to go on and collect maximum points.

The pressure ahead of the FIA hearing has been ramped up even further as Italian daily newspaper La Gazzeta dello Sport claims that Ferrari will take its claim to the civil courts if the FIA rules against the team.

Several high-profile figures have also weighed into the debate in recent weeks including talkative former Ferrari world champion Niki Lauda and the Scuderia's arch-nemesis, former FIA President Max Mosley. "Most teams are calling for the withdrawal of team orders, which I can understand because it’s in their interests,” commented Mosley. “But if we are to meet the needs of the public, who are in their millions, then we need to keep the ban

The two F10s which will be used by Massa and Alonso in Belgium are currently in the car assembly area at the Gestione Sportiva, where they are being built up in the initial configuration that will be used in free practice. There are also some new aerodynamic components being introduced for this race, most significantly an updated version of the diffuser: these will be tested on track on Friday and then the data will be evaluated and a final decision taken regarding their use in qualifying and the race.

Within the Ferrari factory there is the feeling that everyone wants to carry on with the fight-back that began at Hockenheim and continued in Budapest. The 73 points picked up in these two races have seen the gap in both classifications come down, even if there is still a very steep mountain to climb, especially as the pack features so many other strong teams equally determined to succeed. The past two weeks served to recharge the batteries before tackling the final part of the season which looks like being very intense. After the Spa event comes Monza, the team's home race which always has a special atmosphere. It also marks the end of the European season, after which comes a long run of five races far away from the Old Continent, ending up in Abu Dhabi on 14 November. It means a lot of work for the people at the track, but even more for the designers because, not only will they be firing the final shots on the F10 development front, but more importantly, working ever harder on the new car for the 2011 season: a double challenge that always characterises this key time of year. Meanwhile, enjoying the last moments of this short summer break are the drivers: Felipe Massa spent it in Brazil, while Fernando Alonso shuttled between Switzerland and Spain.